My Secret Word for 2012

Five days into the new year with my 2012 intentions practically ready to go, I decided I needed a word to hold and help me fulfill what I want to accomplish. I could keep it a secret but I thought otherwise. Ready?  My secret word to help me personally, artistically and professionally in 2012 is PASSION. I want to really live it, feel it, see it,create it, read it and hear it. To think, last years posted word was vulnerability. Yep, I definitely want passion this year.

To help me launch my passion for 2012, AND fulfill a new goal of writing a new post every two weeks at the latest, I again refer to the Yo Yo Ma tribute performance from the Kennedy Center 2011 Honors. The inspiration I got and get from watching and listening  to this particular eclectic gathering is a beautiful emotional high. 

Every time I see or hear artists of any and every medium performing, enjoying and successfully living their passion, I grow a A LOT MORE INSPIRED, a bit more empowered and a tad more jealous- the constructive kind. 

In this particular tribute performance, there are several genres of music-Classical, Bluegrass, Asian (Silk Road Project-a personal favorite), and Pop, many immensely talented and trained musicians of all ages and backgrounds, on one stage, displaying their infectious passion and reverence to an amazing individual.  They love what they are doing, they connect with the music, each other and the audience. I wish the same for my work. Notice how the audience reacts and responds. An artist's dream:

To sum up, I have a quote from Mel Brooks' Robin Hood: Men in Tights which I love:

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

"Depends on what you're looking at."

(or listening to, or painting, or writing, or personally speaking, pursuing )

When Priorities Shift.....

and reality checks in:

I have been disconnected from my art these past couple weeks. I barely painted.Thought about it a lot though. I attempted blogging only to find myself revising and saving mucho drafts. Didn't want to commit to or advertise those thoughts. My artistic passion has ebbed for the moment and it feels terrible.

I can attribute some of it to a main shift in priorities. I started a new job last month which is great. With that comes news hours, new procedures, learning and adjusting to new routines and regimens. This, at the present moment, is my main source of income.

The other is ego interference. My goal is to be a full time artist. The reality is I'm not. I need the wind back in my sails and SALES to achieve that goal and vision. I admit I haven't been as aggressive marketing as I used to be and definitely SHOULD be. I am in the process of changing my work and ideas, assessing what worked, what didn't and what I need to do to make new things happen. I am confident it will come together and determined to make it happen.

In the meantime, I'll feel what I'm feeling and do what I need to do. Reality checks are good and necessary. Biweekly paychecks are great. Admitting where I am right now is uncomfortable and humbling.

It is important to express yourself.....provided the feelings are real and taken from your own experience.
This will be a completed post. Besides, I used up my draft allowance for April.

Getting in the Game

The waiting is over. My colorful mind is no longer spinning in circles. I will now share my new beginnings.

"Blue Orbit" Box
Acrylic and texture paint, wood

• I am soon leaving my current job surrounded by lots of art and challenging clientele for a new location within the same industry-hospitality. I don't have to take on a third job that I don't want so I can continue making art.
  

• I am also going to be a contributing writer/blogger for artsavvy.com
  

• I now have a brand new laptop computer!! No longer will I feel like the artist left behind because of my outdated software and technological handicaps. No more excuses. No more holding back.

• I am dedicating more of myself to creating and marketing my art.
  

*********

Alright, so what exactly changed? Where did this new fire, or agni in Sanskrit, in my belly come? Was it:

• Watching the Olympics? Seeing and hearing about the athlete's hours, months and years of training, sacrifice, attitude, visualization techniques? The medal ceremonies?
  

• Watching and listening to the Oscars last weekend and hearing two winners accept their Academy awards:

Mo'nique was asked if she ever envisioned herself winning an Academy award and

her response was a resounding YES! "Why get in the game if you don't imagine it?"
and

Peter Doctor's acceptance speech for the movie "UP" on the inherent value
and importance of being creative and making art: "It's not a waste of time."

• Getting my taxes done and knowing going in that these past 3 years were not my best, that I was closing in on my window to show a profit like I had before or otherwise risk being classified as "hobby."
  

The envelope and answer please: ALL OF THE ABOVE.
I believe the fire in my belly just needed to be fanned some more. It's game time. Whatever it takes......

I will be the artist formerly known as hobby.

Loving Artistic Passion

Enough about risk taking, online marketing and networking and creative blocks.....for now. Phew. Write about taking a load off! YOU and me both.

It's Valentines Day. A time to show and share artistic passion.... with music. C'mon, keeping this is a wholesome art post. The Artist: Keith Jarrett - solo. I had the incredible great fortune to see him perform again live two nights ago. Totally improvisational. Powerfully eerie and positively mesmerizing to watch and hear. More about that later.I am highlighting a much earlier version of SOTR on youtube to show a morsel of his expressive passion. He performed this during for his third and final encore that night:

I LOVE seeing artists of every medium living and performing their passion. Even more when they get to make a living at it! I love witnessing their process. I occasionally get green with envy.Watching Keith Jarrett was witnessing a genius the likes I had really not felt before.

In between one of his improvisational improvs, he digressed and entertainingly divulged to the hundreds in the audience his process: "Ya ever wonder I how I do this? It's not drugs." That's for sure.

Share your love and artistic passion this Valentine's Day. I just did.